


Drabbles and Snippets

by BitterTeaBouquet



Category: Alex Verus Series - Benedict Jacka
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, random snippits, romance prolly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 08:49:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18279788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BitterTeaBouquet/pseuds/BitterTeaBouquet
Summary: General one shots and snippets that I want to post :)





	1. Valentine's day treat

Alex opens his door to find a small box perched on the mat. He stares at the soft, almost dull pick ribbon and the note hanging off. On it there is a little message, the handwriting is in an unfamiliar cursive.

He tentatively picks it up and reads it aloud, “A puzzle for you. Happy valentines day.”

At first, he thinks it’s from luna. But when he calls her, she also seems confused. The one question both of them have, other than who is the gifter, is how did they get it into the shadow realm? Alex calls Anne and then Vari. Both of them truthfully deny giving the gift. They know Alex dislikes gifts on Valentines, so they didn’t bother to get him anything. Alex sits on the grass lawn with Vari on speakerphone.

“Why don’t you just open it?” He snarks and then hangs up when Alex doesn’t answer.

Alex is, oddly, touched. Someone who knows him went to all the trouble to get him a puzzle box. They even wrapped and packaged it. He takes Veri’s advice and tears off the wrapping. He is met with a deep red box covered in glass. The objective is to get the little metal ball through the maze and into the key slot. From there it will open and he will get his prize.

He turns to his stomach and in pure concentration, he works. It takes several attempts and re-tries but finally, with one jerk of his hand, the box pops open. He lifts the lid off and looks inside. There is a heart-shaped rock that has been transformed into a gate stone and a picture. Alex lifts both out and into his hands. The stone fits perfectly in his palm, heavier than it looks but smooth and calming. The picture is one of a forest with a creek on the left side. The light is flickering through the tree leaves. Alex is calmed just looking at it. He turns it over and in the same cursive is written: 6pm.

Alex thinks about divining to see if it is safe but something stops him. Clearly, this person put lots of effort into the little project, does Alex want to really ruin that, even if there is a chance of danger? It may be Levistus or another dark mage fooling him but could they have delivered it to his doorstep? He comes to the decision to keep the surprise alive and meet the person at 6.

The day drags on painfully. Alex and Luna meet at a coffee place near the shop and have a nice brunch. They walk over to the shop to do inventory for a couple of hours. After that, it’s to Arachne’s to meet with Vari and Anne.

When Arachne hears that Alex is intending to go to the surprise meeting, she insists on making him an outfit. To his surprise, Luna, Anne, nor Vari try to put him off his decision. They exchange pregnant glances behind Alex’s back and he has the sick feeling of being played. Alex isn’t the romantic type, he doesn’t do roses or chocolates but for this certain occasion, he wants to be. If they are playing a prank on him, he’ll laugh it off, but even now he knows that he’ll be disappointed and daresay, offended.

He lets Arachne dress him in a show of love, all the while trying not to show nervous he is for the meeting. She sends the other for a walk while she tailors the suit to him and he makes sure to keep the topic off him or any sort of valentines day activities. When they make it back, the sun has set. They each give him an awkward ‘good luck’ and push him out the door.

He holds the heart in his hand and paces in his new suit. He feels he has dressed too formal, he longs to throw on a pair of jeans. What if no one is there? He doesn’t gate ahead to see what awaits him, his stomach is twisting enough at the prospect of going in the present. Going home would be much easier. Yet a little voice in his head tells him that maybe there is someone waiting and that he will break their heart if he throws them away in such a way. He kicks the grass and growls. This shouldn’t be such a difficult thing! He shoves magic into the stone and impulsively storms through the gate.

He skids to an immediate stop. The photo he was given was beautiful, but nothing compared to the breath-taking sight before him. Lights are strung from the tree branches, a picnic bench is stationed in the center of the clearing, the creek a few paces away making soft swooshing noises. It is warmer here, and deep into the night. Alex’s face flushes and he shows his excitement and relief through a wild grin.

He approaches the table with his hand spread out ahead of him, the feeling of magic washes over him as a gate opens behind him. He stays turned around, worried that his early appearance will surprise his valentine. The gate closes and a loud thunk follows. Alex slowly turns around and first sees a wine bottle on the grass. Then two feet in polished work shoes. Men’s shoes. Familiar men’s shoes.

“Morden!” He stumbles, his knees hit the back of the bench and he is forced to sit, “You did all this?” He makes a hopeless gesture with his hand.

He frowns and picks up the wine, “No… I got a note this morning telling me to come here. So, you didn’t do this either?”

Alex shakes his head, flushing out of embarrassment. Getting stood up would have been better. Yet, being set up on a blind date with Morden is kind of funny. And the atmosphere is really romantic. One person couldn’t have done this all by their lonesome. Two, maybe three people at least. He freezes and then rubs a dreary hand across his face. Luna, Vari, and Anne would have had more than enough time while he was being suited up.

“I think this could be a sort of practical joke from my friends,” He rubs the back of his neck and grimaces, “Sorry.”

He chest seizes when he adds, “You can leave if you want.”

Morden looks up at the lights and then down at the table. He sits down across from Alex and studies his face with warm eyes. Alex avoids his gaze in favour of the creek. His face is hot and for some reason, his heart is slamming against his rib cage. It must be the suit, it is far too hot here for such a get-up.

Morden draws his attention when he pops the cork of the wine. He pours it into a few glasses his friends had left on the table.

Morden smiles slyly, “It would be such a shame to waste a beautiful night like this.”

They raise their glasses and clink. Perhaps Alex is the romantic type after-all.


	2. Drugs and kissing

“Anne! Anne!” Luna yells.

                Anne turns around, brows lowered. Luna isn’t supposed to be here, it is a dark mage party after all. She excuses herself from her current company and goes to her frantic friend.

                “I made a terrible mistake!” Luna cries out, “I gave Alex 9ml instead of 4! But the label was smudged and I thought it said 9, oh Anne!”

                Anne shakes her head, “What are you talking about? Luna- Luna, calm down!”

                “Alex has a week off from work and we got a shipment from another store, it wasn’t supposed to be dangerous we just wanted to see what would happen!” She blabbers, her hands as wild as her eyes.

                “Tell me what happened! From the beginning!” Anne snaps. She hates when people act like she knows things that she doesn’t.

                “We got a shipment…” Luna breathes, “Of darts. You put a little bit of formula in the end and it's supposed to make you… unfiltered?”

                Anne drops her head in her hand, “Oh, no.”

                “We thought it would be useful, Alex wanted to see what it did. So we read the directions and it said that 9ml’s lasts about a day or so…,”

                Anne groans, “Oh god…,”

                “So I shot it into his leg. He said he felt fine! Then he started acting really weird. He was saying things he normally keeps to himself, he was really loopy,” Luna explains.

                “So where is he?” Anne glances around, already nervous.

                “That’s the thing,” Luna fidget’s with her hands, “I had to go pee, so I handcuffed him to the table and when I came out… he was gone.”

                “What!” Anne grabs her hair, “What were you thinking! Have you done a tracker yet? How long has it been since you shot him?”

                “I tried the tracker, yes. It didn’t work. And… 6 hours?” Luna looks up at Anne with a grimace.

                Anne huffs, “Let’s go. We have to find him!”

                **Two days later**

                Alex stretches his arms above his head, like a cat. He hasn’t slept that well in a long time. He rolls over and opens his eyes a crack. He freezes when he sees the room around him. Wood, wood, and more wood. With fancy curtains and polished wood. He sits up, fully awake. Once he does, a rush of agony fills his head, and he winces. He lifts his hands up to rub his brow and stops again. There is a white bandage on his hand, blood seeping through. He frowns and upon further inspection, finds a welt on his thigh. He cusses.

                What the hell happened?

                His phone is nowhere to be found. His legs are twigs, he stands on them anyways. He has to hold on to the bedpost to keep himself upright. A clock comes into view, Alex reads it with horror. It’s 2 in the afternoon! The last thing he can remember is being with Luna at the shop, opening up some shipments. That was at 4 in the evening. Has a day gone by?

                As if to answer his question, the door to the room opens. A man, dressed to the nines, struts in with a smug grin.

                “Hello, Verus. I hope you slept well,” Morden purrs.

                A pit opens in Alex’s stomach and he swallows, “I did actually. And you?”

                Morden shakes his head, “That isn’t what I want to talk about. I want to talk about last night.”

                “I’m afraid to admit,” Alex lets out a shaky breath, “I can’t remember anything from the past day.”

                “I assumed so. I just have one thing to say.”

                Morden slowly inches to Alex. Alex backs away, but before he can, Morden is leaning in. Practically touching noses. Alex tries not to make his shaking visible. He grips the post tighter.

                Morden smiles, his eyes holding to Alex’s for a long time. He abandons them to stare at Alex’s lips.

                “You are a horrible kisser.”

               


	3. Where they disappear to

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So you thought it was the laundry machine eating your left sock? Nope, it was a teenage diviner.

He lays on the couch, staring off into space. It’s a fancy room, much posher than anything Luna could afford, yet it’s comfort doesn’t dull the sickening fear that claws her throat. Morden stands on her left, Drakh on her right. She hugs her middle and tries not to show her trembling. The three of them stare forward at Alex, who several hours before had been drugged with a very powerful hallucinogen. A doctor came in, who happened to also be a life mage, and said that while the drug was in his system, he was going to be pretty much useless.

It has the effect of, while in his system, making him see the worst thing his brain can come up with. That is the drug’s dormant state. If Alex’s heartbeat goes up enough, and any adrenaline goes through his veins, the drug activates it’s more violent side. Which is causing Alex to have a heart attack and die.

And that’s why Luna is here. To keep him calm enough for the drug to wear off, so Alex can go back to work.

The room is an open one, Alex laying facing a fireplace with a couple of armchairs around him. At the other end of the room is a long table, where Morden and Richard are now. Along with several other Dark mages that Luna thinks she knows the names to but doesn’t really want to find out.

She drops her cloth bag at the end of the couch, near her feet. She blushes down at her cupcake pyjamas and the huge sweater she stole from Vari. She didn’t have time to change when they came to her apartment. She got a few supplies but by then they were growing impatient and she was too scared to ask if she could slip into something more practical.

She pulls her magic back and grabs a long piece of white ribbon. She has saved this for years for an occasion like this one. She wraps it around Alex’s leg and ties it. When she is finished, it looks like Alex has a cast. Arachne said this much would last her over two days of constant contact.

Luna brushes Alex’s hair back from his eyes. He groans. It takes a couple of touches for him to come into focus.

“Luna? Are you real?”

“Mhmm. I’m real. How are you feeling, Alex?” She keeps her tone light, but she feels like she is going to puke.

He looks so sick. He is covered in a thick layer of sweat and he is so pale. He hasn’t lost any weight yet, but if he continues with his condition, Luna doesn’t know how he will manage. She is reminded by his lack of sleep from the bags under his eyes. He has been so stressed recently. Drakh has been pressing on him hard, reminding him of all the threats. Now it’s Luna’s turn to keep everyone alive, and she doesn’t even know where to start.

“I missed you so much-,” He sobs unexpectedly.

He pulls her to him and she wraps her arms around him. She still strokes his hair, knowing how much he likes it. He sighs into her, as does she. It has been so long since she has had physical contact. She will soak this night up as much as possible.

“Luna? I- I don’t want to… I’m scared.”

 

“Shh, shh. I know. Close your eyes. It’s not real.”

 

The position is uncomfortable for them both to maintain for much longer. Alex ends up leaning against her chest, her head resting on his, her legs on either side of him. She can feel his heart beat. She places a hand on his chest, her fingers stretch with each breath. She counts the minutes until Alex falls into a restless sleep.

He wakes up with a cut off scream less than an hour later. She pushes the hair back from his face, keeping his eyes closed.

“Luna… I feel like I’m burning.” He wheezes. His muscles tense and spasm.

“You’re sick. It’s just a cold. If you were burning, wouldn’t I be burning too?”

His breathing returns to normal, she releases a breath.

“I want to go home,” He whimpers, “There is too much history here.”

She wants to go home too. She wants for him to be in his bed, with her wrapped around him, making him feel safe. Maybe then Anne and Vari could help too. Hermes could lay on his chest. He would be happier, and safer. But- she sighs- she has to work with what she has.

She tries to come up with a way to dissuade Alex from thinking about the torture he suffered, then comes to the conclusion that it’s probably impossible for him. He is thinking about it even when he isn’t on a drug that forces him to think about it. As long as keeps his eyes closed and stays calm, she can try her best to keep him alive.

An idea strikes her, “Remember when you told me about the mouse? The one you found in your room?”

“It was really angry…,”

“Don’t focus on that. Focus on how happy you were when it ate from your fingers. When you finally nursed it back to health and delivered it outside. That was here.”

He doesn’t reply. She rubs his chest and continues, “Tell me a secret Alex. What is something you remember about this place that still makes you happy.”

He is awake, she can feel it, but he stays zoned out.

“Alex? Come on,” She taps his nose, “Talk to me.”

He grumbles, and she cracks a smile. Always the same. He is so caught up in his head, then acts offended when you pull him out of it. She taps his nose a few times. He doesn’t have the energy to bat her away.

“I’m thinking.”

She lets him, with no further annoying tapping. He falls asleep again.

Morden and Richard are still lingering around. They don’t talk to her, but she can see Morden cast glances at her every once and a while. She keeps her voice soft, a near whisper. Drawing unnecessary attention would not be wise. A maid brings her tea and some biscuits, which Luna hesitantly consumes. She doubts they would poison her. She is here to do a job after all.

She drifts in and out of sleep. Alex is heavy and warm on her, the blanket she spread over them is too. The fire licks the outside of the bricks, only the wards stopping its colossal rage from spreading to the rest of the house.

“The socks,” She starts awake at Alex’s voice.

“What was that?”

“The socks. That’s my good memory.”

His voice is hoarse and weak, his body trembling. He must have had a nightmare. She holds him tighter.

“Care to explain?”

Deleo enters the room, casting a glare in Alex’s direction. Luna shrinks down into the cushions. Alex doesn’t notice. His lead is lolling on his shoulders, his eyes still shut tight. Cinder and Kyle follow, they look at little more friendly, but not by much. Kyle at least offers Luna a smile. They sit down at the table, all the talking gets much louder after that. Onyx must have come into the room while she slept, because his voice booms as well. She scrunches down and carefully switches the position. They lay facing each other, their nose almost touching. He has his back to the fire.

“I don’t care!” Onyx screams.

Alex flinches. Luna puts a hand on his chest and one on his eyes, in case he gets any ideas. They don’t talk until Morden orders Onyx to leave the room.

“The socks. Tell me about them?”

He is shaking so badly his teeth chatter, “He would get the floors waxed. They would shine and be really clean…” He falters, staying quiet for a couple of minutes until he grabs a handful of her shirt, “I- I’m not used to feeling so-so helpless…”

“It’s okay. You’re okay.” She forces him to turn around, so they are spooning. She only hopes Onyx doesn’t come back and see this. He would laugh. Luna pulls Alex closer to her chest and rests her chin on his shoulder. Onyx can laugh all he wants. She wants him to take this poison, and see how well he deals with it. Alex is her only problem, now.

“The floors are really clean?” She prompts.

“They would be so slippery. In my bare feet, I could slide. But my socks, they were all rough. I couldn’t afford nice ones.”

She thinks the people on the other side of the room have left. It’s silent now, all but the sounds of the fire cover Alex’s shaking voice. It’s loud to her, even though he is whispering.

“One day everyone was gone. I did some snooping. I searched every room for a good pair of socks that I could slide in. I wanted to slide down the hallways, to see how far I could go.”

“Hmpf, seems like something you would do.”

Alex wheezes instead of laughing, it sounds like someone scraped a dull knife over his throat. Tears prickle the corner of his eyes. She wipes them away with her sleeve.  

“But the only pair I found was these bright, pink socks. They had little- little ducks on them,” He holds up his fingers in measurement to show her how little they were, she nods.

“I stole them. And I slid. I could go all the way down the hallways, Luna. You should have seen it. I brought them out every time everyone was gone.”

His voice is lighter, his heartbeat rising but not in fear. She keeps a hand on his chest just in case, she never knows when his happiness could change.

“Who did they belong to?” Luna asks, out of pure curiosity now.

Alex coughs, “Rachel’s.”

Luna, about to say something, is interrupted.

“So that’s where they went,” Deleo’s voice is crisp and clear behind Luna.

Luna jumps and whirls around, peering over the back of the couch. A bemused Drakh, a strangely blank looking Morden, and an annoyed looking Deleo stare back at her. She flushes in Alex’s behalf.

“Those were my favourite pair of socks…,” She mutters as she turns back to the papers on the table. Drakh chuckles and shakes his head, joining her in her change of focus. Morden continues staring at her, his dark slates for eyes looking through her as if she is a mirror. She clenches her jaw to stop the obvious shaking. She dares to raise one eyebrow. Morden cracks a smirk and joins his allies, a new light in his eye.

She turns back to Alex, who is laying on the couch, staring off into space.


	4. Beware The Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is smut. Please don't read this if you don't like smut, or it makes you uncomfortable. I'm so sorry for bringing this into the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what I am doing. I feel bad about writing this but I am putting it here anyway. I have no shame anymore.

It had started with a party. I hadn’t thought it was that big of a deal, bringing a man as a plus one instead of a woman. I hadn’t known him well, it was one of our first meetings. We went together for convenience. We danced a few times, had a couple of drinks, and then before I knew what was happening, we were having sex. It was quite good, as I hadn’t had any sexual activity for a long time. That is until the knife came out. And not in a kinky way.

It was a kill or be killed situation, and like always, I had chosen to kill. Turns out my date had been an assassin sent from Levistus. That was more embarrassing with the other times, considering that none of the previous assassins had managed to fool me so fully and end up in bed with me. Granted, I had thought about romancing them, as most assassins are rather attractive.

I thought that that would be the worst part. Almost being killed in bed. Turns out, no one had known about that part and that I was now being ridiculed for being gay. Which was not only odd but also very petty. I tried very hard not to correct them and point out that I was Bi. I felt it wouldn’t have helped my cause. It was better than the normal “dark mage” name calling, but now it was simple homophobia. It was mildly irritating. I was quite happy with my level of self-control.

I sat at my desk, doing paperwork brainlessly. I was distracted, thinking of laying on my couch with Hermes and eating salad out of the bag. Morden tapped on my desk with a pencil. I looked up with a bland smile.

“How can I help you?” I said in the perfect customer service voice.

Morden frowned, “Accompany me in my office, please.”

I did. Morden stared at me from across the desk for some time before he spoke, “I have been brought to the attention that there has been… a certain level of aggressiveness towards you of late.”

I had no idea what he was talking about. There had always been aggressiveness towards me, in various levels and forms, so I assumed he was talking about the more frequent attempts to kill me, and I went from there.

“It’s not that big of a deal. It has happened for most of my life, I’ve learned how to fight it off.”

He shifts, “I understand you must face prejudice daily, but this is one type of behaviour I do not condone. I have come to ask you, privately, if I may deal with it for you.”

I raised my brows, “Oh. Um, how would you go about that exactly?”

I hadn’t liked the idea of Morden sending someone to watch and protect me. Knowing my luck, they would probably try to kill me as well. I found it interesting that Morden cared so much about my health. It was unnatural for him, and I wondered if he had discovered a more serious threat toward me. One that I wouldn’t be able to get away from. He did lend a helping hand when I asked for it, especially when it came to protection. It was the asking part that was hard. I wasn’t used to him being the one asking.

“Whenever a comment comes up, I will dissuade it. If anything more serious comes out of it, I would want you to let me know, and then I will handle it.”

“Well, it’s already a little more serious than comments I would say. I don’t think talking could help me. Thanks for the offer, though.”

I had started to get up, thinking that he would be finished with me. He let out a bitter chuckle and shook his head.

His lips pulled up and he looked truly disgusted, “Already? It’s only been a week. I would have thought the violence would come much later.”

“A week…?” It clicked that he was talking about my apparent coming out of the closet, “Oh that’s what you are talking about,” I sat back down, “No, you’re right. There is no violence. Honestly… It doesn’t bother me that much. I’ve heard it all before. They have said worse.”

“It may not bother you, but it upsets me. But, I will only do something about it if you give me permission.”

“I don’t want you to hurt anyone.”

His grin was wide and foul, “Only if it reaches that.”

I shivered. I didn’t like allowing violence, but I had the feeling that if I didn’t allow it, he would go and do it anyway. He had a way of appearing courteous, while it didn’t matter what I would say, he would do it regardless.

“Alright. You can deal with it.”

The next night, we attended another party. I entered with Morden, but we soon split. He was to talk with powerful people about politics and I was to sit in a chair and drink. I had no complaints about this. A liaison had the balls (and lack of sobriety) to approach me and spit a couple foul, homophobic names. I rolled my eyes and gave up on any futures of socialization. I leaned back and started to path walk. I couldn’t get focused, there was tingling at the back of my neck. I opened my eyes and saw Morden watching me from across the room.

I offered a tentative smile and continued path walking.

Yet another mage had the undeniable urge to call me a fag. I sighed and tried to ignore the names. It made it hard to focus when people kept thinking of talking to me. After a few minutes, I stood up and made it my business to go be invisible on the back patio. There were fewer people out there, and I could walk more efficiently.

Halfway through the party, Morden approached me. He held two drinks. He pulled a chair next to mine and handed me one.

“Thanks, how is the politicking going?”

“Fine. Those men won’t bother you again.”

I startled at that, I had almost forgotten about our deal yesterday. Why he had told me, I didn’t know.

“Um- thank you?” I offered.

He nodded and we finished our drinks in silence. He took them away and didn’t return.

The next day at work, the War rooms had apparently turned into one, large gossip circle. And it was gossip I hadn’t heard of yet. When Morden disappeared into the star chamber, I sat in my booth and doodled on my notepad. A woman approached me.

“Mage Verus?” She giggled, “Is it true you and Councilor Morden are in a relationship?”

I stared at her and didn’t dignify that with a response. She got uncomfortable under my gaze, her smile fell away and she scrambled away. Three more people had the audacity to ask me about it again. When Morden saved me with his presence, I rushed off with him to the office.

I sat down and as he was preparing to retreat into his study, I blurted, “What did you say? To make those mages stop harassing me?”

Morden sighed, “Yes. I have heard the rumours too. Don’t pay any attention to them. I’m sure they will die down.”

“I know. There have been worse ones about us. So, what did you say to start them?”

He wavered on the doorway. He wanted to tell me that it wasn’t any of my business, but he knew I wouldn't have left it alone.

“I revealed that I too am homosexual. They took it how they wanted to.”

That took me by surprise. More surprise than I wanted to admit to. I shrugged and continued on my work. He went into his study.

It took about four more days for it to happen. That is, me getting beat up by a group of awful mages. They hadn’t even wanted to kill me. They had wanted me to feel as much pain as possible. They dealt it not in whips and fire, but in fists and kicks. When it is trained, fit Keepers delivering those hits, there was more than one broken bone.

I was angry when I called him. I wouldn’t have if I had been thinking straight. I had been laying in some Alley on a filthy street and I could barely move. It had taken all the strength to press call.

“You said you would deal with it… If it got violent?” I wheezed.

“Yes. Location, then names.”

It took me longer to recall where I was than who had done it. I wasn’t sure why he had wanted my location until he showed up with a life mage. The next morning I was embarrassed. That day, I didn’t have enough energy to care. He had the life mage gate me home and then went off to deal with the group. I had never asked what happened to them.

Our routine stayed like that. I would get beat up, he would help me, and then the attackers would be gone. It only took a couple of repetitions for the message to get out and for people to stop hurting me. The assassination attempts kept going. The homophobic beatings did not.

I felt somewhat indebted to him. I offered to do extra work, and stay later into the night. He accepted. A few months after, I was sitting at my desk, reading through a document I stole while waiting for Morden to get out of a meeting.

Once he did, he called me in with a glimmer in his eyes. The meeting had gone well, he got what he wanted and the other mage did not. He offered me whiskey, which I declined, and he poured himself an outrageous amount.

“Verus, what do you think about the decoration of this office?” He asked me through slightly slurred words.

I had no idea how to respond. I told the truth, “I don’t mind it. It is dull, but not so much that it is ugly.”

“I’m thinking of redecorating.”

I chuckled, “The meeting went that well?”

He looked at me with a confused glare and I explained, “You usually only bring up redecoration when things are looking very good.”

“Ah. Well, I am thinking of doing it for real this time.”

He continued to babble and I toyed with the pants bunched at my thigh. I rubbed out the crease and then scrunched it out again. Over and over. It was just a bit of entertainment for me, but that is when it started. His eyes flicked to the movement. His words only wavered a fraction before the futures shifted.

He thought about rounding the desk. About climbing on top of my lap and taking my ear between his teeth. He would moan my name. If I did nothing, he would grind himself on my thigh until he came. If I said his name back, he would attack my neck with his hungry lips. Then, he would thrust his hand into my trousers and jerk me off until I came.

That was one of many, many possibilities. Most of them consisted of him teasing me. With his mouth or hands, or breathing on the most sensitive pieces of me until I was a writhing mess.

My face had grown hot, and I knew the flush covered not only there, but my neck and ears too. I stared at the ground and tried to swallow down the thick taste of arousal that had seeped into my mouth. My obvious discomfort was not the only problem I faced. It was also my throbbing erection pressed against my pants.

He droned on and on about colour scheme, all the while his eyes had been fixed on the front of my pants. They trailed up my body to my heaving chest and sweating face occasionally. I kept my eyes on the ground. I felt humiliation crawl heavy into my stomach. I hadn’t noticed when it had gone quiet. I only was focused on the futures.

He wanted me to suck him. He wanted me on my knees, begging for more. An involuntary moan pushed out of my throat then. He had no reaction. I covered my eyes with my hand.

He snapped, “Eye’s up, Verus.” His voice was husky and low.

As if on its own, my hand dropped and I was forced to look at him. All the while he was thinking of getting me on all fours. Screaming his name I would be thrust into dozens of times. My ass would be red with his slaps and grabs.

My lips parted and I released an awful, long, breathy moan. There was nothing to cover it. No noise but that cut through the room. Both his hands were folded calmly together on top of his desk.

He knew exactly what he was doing to me. The futures got more sexual. More violent. Five minutes went by and I was squirming in my seat, not bothering to stop from my hopeless whines. I hadn’t even been touched in the present and I was near begging for him to let me cum.

Every time my hands would leave the arms of the chair, he would tut at me and tell me to be a good boy. His composure hadn’t cracked once. That is until I started involuntarily thrusting into the air. I never felt more like an idiot than when I gasped his name.

“Mor- Morden.”

I was getting close. Rutting against the fabric of my pants, feeling the accumulation of what he thought of doing to me.

“Eyes on mine,” He growled.

I snapped up and stared into those deep, dark pools. They twinkled with amusement and pleasure. I was a toy to him, a trophy. I managed to keep them open as I shuddered and made horrific, foul noises as spurts of cum soaked my pants. I clamped a hand over my mouth and squeezed my eyes shut for the last part. When I was close to screaming.

I sank down into my chair, chest rising and falling, wheezing for breath. My hand trembled, still it had been clamped around my mouth and jaw.

When I opened my eyes, Morden was still staring at me, with that same, schooled expression. Now a deep smirk plastered over his face.

“Who knew diviners were so sensitive?” He asked it like it was a joke.

I scrambled up on weak legs and fled.

 

 

 


	5. Life Back

I stood in the doorway. The only thing I could think at that second was that I thought he would be the one to do this to me, not me to him. He wasn’t in the mansion, but the whole scene was still dramatic. I was wearing my gym clothes, touching the doorframe, staring back at the room I had thought was ours. I was holding my suitcase, full of my belongings. It was only then that I realized I owned barely anything. Everything was still back at my apartment, the one I hadn’t been to in months. I turned off the lights and shut the door behind me.

I didn’t cry until I got home. It wasn’t that reality hadn’t sunk in; it was that there was dust. I knew I would have to clean and cleaning when all I wanted to do was lay down and sleep seemed an impossible task. I did eventually. I couldn’t stay in the flat when it looked like such a mess. It didn’t help my allergies either.

I was fortunate when I left to get groceries at that hour. That was the hour Morden came to the door, demanding I come out. He was holding my note in his clenched fist, banging on my door and disturbing my neighbours, while I was standing in a low-lit grocery store, trying to decide which wine would go best with the chicken. I got home and he was gone. The only sign of him was my note, which was crumpled up in a ball and stuffed into the bottom crack.

I thought he was mad at me. I wondered if he would kill me. I laughed then, because I had finally pieced together that maybe it wasn’t a happy relationship when one member’s first thought is “I wonder if he will kill me over this” over something negative happening. It wasn’t a happy relationship. Because it wasn’t a relationship anymore. I ended it. I laughed some more, because if anyone was going to kill anyone, it should be me killing him.

I considered this over a lot of wine and no food. I would never hurt him. I wasn’t the one capable of doing that. He was the one who hurt me, that’s how it worked. I was the victim; he was the abuser. I had given him loyalty and he had given me infidelity.

What’s worse is, I let him get away with it. The first time, I kept my mouth shut. He had seemed so guilty. He kissed me more, tried to make it up to me even though he thought I didn’t know. I assumed it was a one-time thing. It felt wrong to make love with him in our bed when I knew someone else had been in my place, but I did it. I worked through it.

I told no one. Luna and Vari were having their own problems. Anne would just have had an I told you so moment. The only person I wanted to tell was Arachne, but that wasn’t an option anymore. I sat at her tree and told her regardless. I didn’t know it then, but while I was crying over him there, he was doing it again.

It kept happening. I started to get my own hobbies again. I got out of the house as much as possible so I could avoid seeing him and looking at the places where he had been with other people. He didn’t know, the entire time. It was only when I was at the gym when I had first said it out loud.

I was on the treadmill, and my headphones had died. There was a girl next to me, a little under sixteen. She was trying to lose weight so she could get on to the basketball team. She wanted to be a model. She took out her headphones and told me all this in the first three minutes of me meeting her.

“What’s wrong with you?” She asked.

She hadn’t known me for an hour and yet she could see my pain through my well-crafted mask. A mask that had fooled my closest friends and relatives, was broken by a stranger. My eyes started to mist.

“My boyfriend is cheating on me.”

The first time I ever said it. At a 24-hour gym on the evening of my 40th birthday. No one else was in the gym. I despair when I think what my life would have been like if there were more than two treadmills.

“That sucks,” The forever wise words of a teenager, “You should break up with him.”

“It’s not that easy. I love him. He has given me everything,” I defended the man who was destroying me.

“He is your mom?”

“What?”

The machines had whirred so loud I thought I was hearing her wrong.

“If he has given you everything, then he has to be your mom too. And your dad. And your teachers and stuff. My sister says that every person you meet gives you something.”

Her sister was a smart girl. I had turned my jogging to match hers, and we ran in silence for a while. I guess she got bored, or too uncomfortable with my silent crying because she started to talk again.

“How old are you?”

“Forty. As of today.”

“It’s your birthday? Shit. I wouldn’t be at the gym; I’d be eating cake. It’s my birthday next month, that’s what I’m going to do,” She seemed a little lost in thought. As if the image of her eating cake on her big day was the thing she was most looking forward to.

“Anything to get out of the house,” I muttered.

She snapped back to reality and fixed me with a rough stare. It wasn’t pitying. That’s what I liked about her; she didn’t spare me any pity. As if she had experienced so much pain in her short life that she couldn’t hand out any more emotion than what she allowed herself. She reminded me of Arachne. She was similar to what Arachne looked like in the Dream Shards, just a fatter version, with fewer wrinkles, and a far brighter look in her eyes.

“Then give yourself the best present of them all, Get your life back.”

I never saw her again.

I had gone to the mansion, wrote a note, and left.


	6. Christmas day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex has a good Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My friend In Germany requested I write some fluff. While I am not good at fluff, I thought I would give Alex a break, since everyone who writes Verus Fanfic likes to torture him. Myself included. This has no plot, it's just a feel-good fic.

That was the first Christmas I spent alone since I met Luna. Her and Vari were announcing their engagement to his family, and Anne went along with them. Anne and Vari’s families were so close anyways, its not like she wouldn’t be accepted there. I was the outsider, and even though they invited me, I declined.

It was nice to do things the old way. I was looking after the Arcana Emporium and found myself drifting back into the routine I had long ago. I woke up on Christmas Eve, spent a whole two hours in bed, readied my tea, and sat down in front of my computer to do a bit of writing. Before I knew it, most of the day had passed and I was brought back to the land of the focused when a tapping sounded at the window.

I was seated on the couch, the living room window not four meters away from me. Outside sat a familiar face, holding up one paw, and touching it to the frosted pane. I grinned and shoved my laptop away from me. It took a couple of tugs, but it came open.

Hermes hopped through and gave me a nudge on the leg before he trailed into the kitchen. I laughed and followed him in.

“I don’t have any food. I was going to go shopping-,” I checked the clock, “Two hours ago.”

Hermes looked upset with me. I got changed and offered him a cloth bag to hop into, and we went to the shop together. We got the traditional Christmas meal, only with much more meat and smaller portion sizes. The cashier looked at me as if I was the loneliest person in the world. I didn’t feel that way, it was a relief to be alone and not in danger for once.

We got home and I put the ham in the oven. It would take a couple hours to make, and I would be up later than I would have liked. For a moment I thought, _Santa may not come if I am awake._ I laughed to myself, and it only grew when I looked around the flat, not a Christmas item in sight. Hermes gave me another look.

The night had fallen, and I was laying on the couch, watching Doctor Who re-runs on the telly absentmindedly. Hermes finished eating the plate I gave him (it was Christmas eve, I was sure it wasn’t a sin to give the boy a few extra slabs of meat) and trotted to me. He jumped up on me, and nuzzled the hem of my t-shirt. This shirt being my comfy, over-sized one, I lifted it up and he crawled inside, placing his little nose at my neck and letting me tuck him in.

Having him on me, chest to chest, made all sadness I didn’t know I had disappeared. I dozed off but was awoken an hour later by a Dalek yelling “Exterminate” at a stressed-looking Matt Smith. I groaned and reached to the remote, turning it off. Hermes woke up, blinking up at me. I craned my neck to give him a warm smile.

I wrapped one hand around his butt, one around his middle, and then stood. He was miffed at the movement and gave me a nip to tell me. I made a move to go to the bedroom, but then saw something floating outside my window. I went over to the light switch first, and had Hermes use his snout to turn it off. We were covered in darkness, and that made the snow more visible.

Hermes ended up leaving my shirt, because I had to move the couch over by the window. I grabbed the duvet and pillow from my bed, making a nest for us to sleep in. Despite having perfectly good blankets, he crawled under my shirt again. I hadn’t complained when he did it, but did a lot the next morning, when I found drool on my collar bone.

When I woke up, nothing had changed. I had felt guilty for feeling disappointed. Some part of me had hoped that my friends would be there, or at least some presents. I guess I had been wishing for Santa Claus after-all. They told me they would give them to me when they got back, which was a week from then. I sighed and then started to use the food from last night to create a breakfast for us both.

I got Hermes a present too, along with all the other ones that I gave them to open at the house. It was a small, but soft and fuzzy bed. I also gave him boots, which he hated with a passion. I noticed he kept them on for me though. He got me a bouquet of flowers, all of which were odd colours. I wonder where he got them and realized he must have stolen them or picked them himself. I displayed them proudly on the kitchen table.

I walked to Arachne’s a little after noon, and Hermes had decided to take permanent residence in my jacket hood. It was large, so he could lay in there as I walked. Several people took it upon themselves to inform me that there was a fox in my hood. I had to stop my replies from being too sarcastic.

I got Arachne a gift as well, which was a custom, hand made loom. It was huge, so I had it given to her the weekend before Christmas when I had the rest of them still around to help. I felt bad about not having anything for her when I came, so I used the little skill in any sort of sewing, to create a tapestry. It took around six months, far longer than I had thought. The only reason I got the loom was because I didn’t think I would finish.

“Alex,” She greeted me, rushing towards me with open legs, “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas Arachne. It’s good to see you.”

I handed her my work then, and she was taken into silence.

“Oh, dear.”

“Is it that bad?”

“No, it is wonderful. It’s just- I haven’t had anyone give me a gift- much less two in a very long time.”

I realized she was choked up and I grinned up at her. I drew closer, wrapped my arms around her lowered torso as much as I could, and fed all the love I could muster for her into it.

I went home as the sun was setting. In the snow, the cold purple and blues of the sky reflected off the snow and made everything seem magical. My breath showed in front of me, as did Hermes’s. He had demanded to be carried in the front of my sweater, because it was simply too cold for the hood. I didn’t mind, I had my new bag that Arachne made me on my back anyways. I held him to my chest and took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the coming night.

I stood there until the first stars twinkled at me, then made my way home with a red nose and a full heart.


	7. Privacy

I had put on my shoes on the right feet that morning. I had poured my milk on my cereal and put it back in the fridge. I had given Hermes an appropriate amount of ham. I had gone to work and dealt with the liaisons and then Morden. I had done my day how normal people do it. I had done it right. 

So why in the hell was I standing frozen, terrified in my own shadow realm? 

Maybe it had something to do with Anne. 

She hadn't left the Hollow in weeks, she wore the same rotation of the same clothes. Sweatpants and one of Vari's out-grown t-shirts. She was in that now, the red shirt and the grey, tight pants. It shouldn't have been attractive, but how she tied her long hair up into a lazy bun made it that way. 

There was something different this time. 

This time there was a long piece of fabric tied around her thigh. It had black tips, but the rest was a shimmering white. Not only that, but right above the fabric, there were two white hands clamped on her ass. 

Anne's hands were in someone's short brown hair, and even though I couldn't see their face, I knew who it was. They were passionately kissing with their eyes closed. They were making noises. And Luna's hands went off her ass and under her shirt. 

My body suddenly unfroze and I was high tailing it to the gating location. 

My face was hot and my hands were shaking, opening the gate was harder than I thought. It took a few precious minutes, in which time the action in the hut was rising, and I was desperate to leave. I jumped through and dropped the stone. 

I kicked it into a nearby ditch. Like it had done something to me. I looked after it, and decided to sit own before retrieving it. 

I didn't have a problem with them being together. It was just very surprising. Which made me feel stupid because I am diviner for gods sake. I should have known, I should have reacted better. If either of them had seen my face, I risked them thinking I didn't approve, or worse, was homophobic. 

It just took me by surprise. 

I took off my suit jacket, and after a quick look down at my expensive shoes and even more expensive pants, I sighed. It was a nice day out and there wasn't a person in this side of the park. Or at least, none thinking of coming over. 

I stripped off my pants, socks, and shoes. I even ditched my button down. That left me in my TARDIS boxers and my white tank top. I shivered under the sun and stared at the muddy water, preparing myself for the plunge. 

I knew where it was, and if I was just careful enough, I could lean into the ditch and get it without actually going in. 

Of course it didn't work. The root I was gripping slipped out of my grasp and I tumbled head first in to the water. Which was brown and contained several squishy things I did not want to think about. I spat out a long tendril of grass and groaned when I realized that the gate stone had moved. 

That was when a shadow fell over my face, and I turned around. Peering up at the sun-backed figure I was struck with momentary fear. 

"What are you doing?" Vari asked. 

I grinned, trying to be as insouciant as possible. "Going for a refreshing swim, care to join?" 

"No... thanks. Why aren't you swimming in the Hollow?" He crouched down and I winced at the blinding light. I adjusted my gaze to stare at him. 

He was wearing an orange turban, which matched his new Sheild uniform. His beard, which he could never really grow, was starting to fill out and it made him look much older than he was. He dawned a deep frown, and a bruise on one eye. 

"What happened to you face?" I ignored his question. 

"I got into a slight tumble with a crusader," He fixed me a crooked grin, "It was about you, you know." 

"Does that mean I owe you?" 

His laughter came from his chest, "Yes."

"Fantastic. I'll have to owe you another one."

He frowned again, "why?" 

"I can't let you go in the Hollow. Anne and Luna are having a moment." 

"Oh, is Anne okay?" 

She was fantastic, I assumed. But with the whole vari-had-a-thing-for-luna going on, I wanted to keep him out of it until they were ready to tell him. 

I shrug, "Nope, but Luna will help." 

Vari nodded and sat down on the grass. I squirmed under his gaze, and started to feel around the bottom of the pool with my feet. 

He watched me intensely, his eyes fixed on my back. It was hard to focus, and I was glad when he moved away to do something. 

It took a few minutes, but I found it. My face must have lit up, because Vari took that time to jump into the ditch and mess up my search again. 

I hadn't noticed that he too, had stripped down. It would have been very hard to explain if anyone walked by. I checked the futures and found no one. I turned my glare towards him. 

"Really? Now I have to find it again!" 

"I thought you said you were swimming?" 

I huffed, "It was a joke. Obviously."

"Obviously? You are just weird enough that it never seems like it." 

I chose not to take offense. I told him so and he laughed for a second time. We started to search the bottom with our feet, discussing our days. I purposely left out the worst bits, as did he. I found my curiosity growing and eventually asked. 

"What was the crusader saying?" 

He stopped searching and looked at me. He seemed to be thinking of a lie, but then smartly thought otherwise. 

"I don't want to tell you."

"And why not?" 

"Because I hear things about you all the time, and this time I punched him for it. So-," 

"It must have been bad, I know. But I can handle it. I get hate. I can deal with it."

He looked down at the water and clenched his hands. They made twapping sounds as he brought them closer to the surface. 

"But you shouldn't have to. It makes no sense." 

I pursed my lips. Everyone gets hate, and it made sense why the council would want people to feel that way about me. I couldn't see the problem with it, it worked to their advantage and that was what they wanted. 

I continued my search, not bothering to share my view on the topic. I knew he would get frustrated. 

He did anyway, "You don't see it, do you?" 

I played his game, "No. I deserve what I get, that's how life works." 

"No! It's not! People hate you, who haven't even met you. And anyone who loves you is either ignored or you don't know it." He kicked up dirt from the bottom of the ditch and winced when he punted a rock. The water became more clouded than before. I thought we would have gotten diseases if we stayed in there any longer. 

But I got distracted, "What do you mean?" 

"Nothing. I meant nothing. Lets just search for... whatever we are searching for."

"The gate stone. To the hollow."

He met my eyes. There was a heat to his cheeks and his eyelashes had drops of water on them. He blinked a few times, and they ran down his damp cheeks. I was hypnotized by the way the drops rolled into his facial hair. Some droplets hung in his moustache and slipped onto his plump lips. It was as distracting as Anne's tight sweat pants. 

His lips curled up and he started to chuckle. 

I swallowed, and even though I knew it would sound forced, I laughed too. 

He shook his head and we started to search again, this time in a comfortable but unnerving silence. 

"Ah-ha!" He cheered after a few minutes. 

He picked it up with his foot, and plopped it in his hand. The stone looked much more filthy than I remembered. I took it from his hand and tossed it up near my folded clothes. 

I had goosebumps thick on my skin, so I took use of the steady side of the ditch first. My boxers clung to me in a very unattractive fashion and I knew that my face must have been beat red as he stood below me. I stood up and turned around quickly, offering him my hand. 

He squinted at me for a moment, then took it. 

"Thanks for helping me find it, you didn't have to." 

"Yes, I did. Now you owe me three times over." 

I rolled my eyes, "Are you going to force me to do stupid things? Or get me drunk again?" 

He stepped closer, his clothes  
Were next to mine, so I side stepped to let him through. He huffed. 

"No. Something else. Easily payed back, as long as you do it now."

"Fine, what is it?" 

He reached for me and grabbed a fist full of my tank top. I lurched forward. He smelled like sweat and dirt, not appealing in any fashion. I must have been the same but he didn't seem to notice. My heart hammered against my rib cage. 

"Vari, what are you-!" 

He pulled me even closer and wrapped an arm around my waist. The futures were looking strangely appealing. 

"Kiss me." 

Looking at the futures, I hesitated. Looking at Vari, lips gaping, eye bruised, hands grasping, I went for it. 

Two minutes later I was still pressed against him, and almost forgot about what had nearly stopped me from kissing him before. 

"Vari.... we need to stop." 

"Why?" 

"Luna and Anne."

"I don't care." 

I pressed my forehead against his, "Don't you- you know, Like Luna?" 

He glares, "And I would kiss you if I did?"

He resumed his grip on my shirt and slipped his tongue in my mouth. I closed my eyes and relinquished. 

The gate opened and there was a gasp, then a stifling of laughter. Vari smirked against my lips. I slid a hand up the small of his naked back, keeping my other one on his thigh. 

"We'll just give you two some privacy." Luna giggled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got Inspired by Private counselling by Philomena85. It is so good. Ship names for Alex/Vari? Anyone?


	8. Trick or Treat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Morden on Halloween. Just something fun I thought I would write since I am sick.

“I thought I told you to dress up,” Richard says with a slight frown touching his lips.

I roll my eyes, “At least I am here,” I push past him and into the mansion, catching a glimpse of myself in the long mirror he placed along one wall.

I look out of place in my clothes. They’re far too fancy and clean for me. My messed hair and dirty shoes shouldn’t be in this get-up at all- or even in the wood palace. As I walk further to the sitting room I can hear the clatter of glasses and muffled conversations. Richard follows up behind me, probably to make sure I don’t run off. When I open the door, a few people stop to look, but then shrug and continue on. It’s the best thing I’ve experienced all evening.

I grab a drink and take a seat in the far corner. I see some familiar faces in the colourful crowd. Viheala in a Poison Ivy costume; Deleo, cinder, and Kyle as the three musketeers; and Onyx as Darth Vader. I take a couple more seconds to search for Morden and then turn away to gaze out into the darkening gardens.

The trees have mostly shed their leaves. The ground is less cobble and more bright, making me nostalgic for happy memories that never existed. Maybe someday when this house is crumbling and nature has taken over will I ever truly enjoy being here.

I sip my drink for a few hours. People have separated off into groups, and now there is music playing in the background. In the reflection of the window I can see couples dancing, and a boy in a bee costume spill wine on little red riding hood’s cape. It’s enough to make me smile.

It’s while I am watching this scene when Morden comes up behind my chair.

“It a costume party, you know,” He says with a tilt of his head. His dark eyes are staring holes at me through the dark glass. I turn away and down my glass.

“I am dressed up,”

He saunters to the chair across from me and takes a seat. I could almost laugh at his costume.

He is a king. With a sparkling translucent white crown on top his head embedded with green and dark purple jewels. He is wearing a button-down with a snowflake pattern on, with his collar popped open revealing some of his bare chest. What tops it off is the deep clue cloak that comes down to his ankles hanging off his shoulders. On the collar is white fur, dotted with black. I even think he may be wearing a bit of makeup.

He notices me staring and smirks, “Can you guess what I am?”

“Hm. Perhaps a court jester?”

“I think you’ve mistaken me for yourself. I’m the ice king.”

A waiter replaces my drink. I take half of it in one pull.

“Don’t you want to know what I am?” I ask.

His eyes trail up and down my body. I fight the urge to squirm under his gaze.

“Are you my failed expectations of what I want you to look like at work?”

I can’t help the startled laugh I release. He seems pleased with himself. I push my drink to the side of the table and reach into my jacket pocket, pulling out a deck of cards.

I shuffle them carefully, touching each one with as much care as the last. Eventually, I hold them out to him.

“Place your hand on these.”

He looks at me skeptically but does so. Once he does, the top card glows a faint purple for a few seconds, them dims. He takes away his hand.

I spread them out and say, “Pick three.”

With the tip of his finger, he taps three cards in quick succession. Each time they glow the same shade of purple, but this time they do not dim. I pull them out and lay them in the middle of the table.

I turn the first one over, “Your past. Reversed four of cups.”

The second, “Your present. Reversed five of swords.”

And the third, “Your future. Ace of wands.”

I sit back and watch as the cards light fade out and return to their normal red and gold colours. Morden meanwhile stares at me as if I have grown two heads.

“Do you expect me to know what those mean?”

I chuckle, “Of course not, I was waiting for you to ask. The reversed Four of cups means that you missed an opportunity. It can be anything- but usually it’s personal or something big with much influence in your life.”

“So it could be anything?”

I shrug, “That’s up to you. The reversed Five of swords means that there is a change coming. It also can mean that there is some resentment towards the past.”

He settles back into his chair and rolls his eyes, “This is very vague, Verus. I would expect that you would make a better oracle.”

“I’m actually a tarot reader, and it’s only vague because you aren’t trying. The ace of wands means a new personal beginning.”

He sighs, “This is obviously just about-,” He stops when I place my chin on my hand and glance out the window again.

“You’re a rubbish Tarot reader, Verus.” His voice is weaker than before, and he stands from the table abruptly.

“I do hope you’ll socialize sometime soon.” He says before leaving.

I gather my cards and return to my drink.

Richard held his Halloween party early, so luckily this week I get to sit in my flat and read while eating too much chocolate. Hermes doesn’t seem to get that he can’t eat chocolate- it is a never-ending battle of guarding the bowl and aggressively cuddling him.

My phone rings while I have him in a headlock and have a flake bar dangling out of my mouth. I lean over and swallow the bar as I grab my cell.

“Hullo?”

“Verus.”

I expect him to go on. He doesn’t.

“…What’s going on?” I ask, hoping he will say nothing and leave me alone.

“Which flat is yours?”

“What.”

“Just tell me.”

“16?”

He hangs up. I shrug and settle back down, really hoping that he doesn’t bother my neighbour too much. I continue onto chapter eight, excited to see what Miles Vorkosigan will do next.

I don’t get to find out because Morden knocks at my door. I sigh, knowing my wards aren’t strong enough to keep him out.

I open the door with Hermes on my heels to find him standing in his king's get-up once again. I, however, am in sweat pants and a huge sweater. I have three heaters on in my flat, so my cheeks are as red as a tomato, and my hair is clinging to my forehead. All in all, I look just fantastic.

Morden shoves past me and pushed a bag into my hands.

“Change into this, we are going to a party together.”

“What? No! I- you can’t-,”

He huffs, “I don’t care- just do it.”

I make sure to shut my bedroom door loudly.

When I come out, he has made himself comfortable in my kitchen, staring at Hermes staring at him.

He turns and nods once, “That will be alright.”

“What am I supposed to be?”

“It obvious!” He throws his hands up, “A white knight! It took me days to have this made for you. Now come on.”

I look pleadingly at Hermes then take the chocolate bowl on the way out.

This party is exactly what I didn’t expect Morden to be into. It’s loud, got lots of bouncy music, and is full of people wearing provocative outfits. Thankfully we walk through that room and into a slightly calmer room, with older people and less skin showing. Morden is all but dragging me behind him. I never wished more that the knight costume had a helmet as I made eye contact with Barrayar.

“You never told me this was a council thing,” I muttered to him.

“Just play nice, Verus, I swear you will be rewarded.”

I don’t want to sound like a child, but I really want to know what the reward is.

The night drags on, and I find myself glued to Morden's side. All he does is talk and talk and talk. I realize that he may be suited to the council after-all. Finally, as some people take leave, I think the party may be over. That is until two vampires take the front podium and tap a fork to their glasses.

“Hello, hello, everyone! Thank you for coming. As promised, we will announce the winners of the contest!”

I raise a brow at Morden. He just smirks.

One of the vampires rolls out a trolley and on it is the finest gift basket I have ever seen. Inside of it contains several foci and an aggressively glittery bath bomb.

“The winner of the basket is…. The Ice King and his white knight!”

We are applauded as we walk upstage.

I want to take the basket and leave, but the vampire keeps us on stage.

“So, You two! How long have you been together?”

“Wha-“ I try to say but Morden cuts me off.

“A couple of weeks.”

The vampire chuckles, “Oh I can tell. You two are still in your honeymoon phase- how cute! Well, everyone give another hand for our couples costume contest winners!”

The following applause is confused and scattered. Which is about how I feel at the moment.

He drops me off back home and lets me keep the foci. And the bath bomb.

“Thank you for coming. I really wanted- uh- this.” He lifts the basket up slightly.

I give him a side-eye, “You wanted three bottles of wine and a pretty knife?”

“Yes.” He almost says it in a convincing manner.

My mouth starts moving of its own accord, “I still have chocolate left.”

“What do you want me to say, trick or treat?”

I mimick him, “Yes.”

I didn’t think he would humour me, but then he did.

“Trick or treat.” He looks like the most miserable person to ever live. And like he expects something from me.

So I lean in and press a soft peak to his lips.

His eyes are wide when I pull away, and he swallows. We stare at each other for a few beats, then he repeats- softer this time, “Trick or treat?”

I pull him inside by the fur on his cloak.

 


End file.
